Tobacco.org

28% of 13-15-year-old boys smoke; 14.3 pc of Kuwaiti girls 'puff' 

In Kuwait, the WHO Global Youth Tobacco Survey estimates that over a quarter (28%) of the male youth population - aged 13-15 years - smoke tobacco, compared to the much lower 14.3% of the female youth population who smoke. The Ministry of Health has been actively fighting the prevalence of smoking in the country through various initiatives designed to raise awareness of the dangers of smoking and to discourage the habit.

George Wagih, spokesperson for the 'Nicorette' Nicotine Replacement Therapy range, says that "over 35 million smokers try to quit each year, yet less than 5% reach their one-year anniversary."

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• Underage smoking targeted 

British American Tobacco joined forces with prominent cooperative societies to launch the Partners in Responsibility youth smoking prevention campaign in Kuwait. The campaign, which aims to raise awareness of laws that regulate underage smoking, was launched on the 4th of May 2008 in all outlets of Dasmah and Bnaid Al-Gar, Bayan, Al-Adeliyiyyah, Kaifan and Al-Rawda and Hawally cooperative societies. Bassem Bekdache, Head of Corporate and Regulatory Affairs for British American Tobacco in the GCC stated that "We hope that the Partners in Responsibility campaign will help increase awareness of the law. We take the matter of youth smoking prevention very seriously and are backing up words with actions. In addition to Kuwait, this campaign has also been rolled out in Bahrain and Qatar with more countries to follow by the end of 2008."

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AL-SHARIKH: Good girls don't smoke  

I do not support conventional wisdom and I do not believe that one should follow the footsteps of our elders blindly. I am a big believer in change as an engine of development and progress, but smoking for Kuwaiti women is neither the former nor the latter. It is just a bad, stinky, unhealthy, and unattractive habit. If a Kuwaiti woman is cursed with being unable to quit smoking, she is not promoting women's liberation or equality; she is just making herself look bad. What is it all for? That light buzz from the slow breathing? The chance to mimic those forties Hollywood sirens puffing smoke in the air? It is just not worth it.

Women's health is infinitely more important than the temporary joy of smoking. I may not be one for traditions, but the idea that smoking makes a young lady look bad is one tradition we should most definitely uphold.

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• Philip Morris hosts party for media 

Philip Morris Kuwait Company WLL hosted a Suhoor Party for the local media on Thursday. Hamad Al-Asfour, Manager Corporate Affairs welcomed visitors for a sumptuous Suhoor meal held at Atlantis Restaurant at Marina Hotel. Representatives from Philip Morris Middle East attended the event including Dubai based George Nassif, the director corporate affairs Middle East and Ruwaida Abu Ajram, communication manager.

"We invited you here to spend this Suhoor party with us because we treasures our friendship with all the newspapers here in Kuwait and we hope for more productive years to come. We thank you for coming and I hope you will enjoy our small token of gratitude," said Al-Asfour on the occasion.

The Suhoor party discourages minors from attending since the company was promoting tobacco products not suited for children.

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EDITORIAL: Prohibit smoking in public places 

What we are demanding is to apply what is being practiced in civilised countries by disallowing smoking in public places, while imposing stiff penalties on violators, because prohibition is a protection for the human beings. It is also an enhancement of health care especially in the protection of children or youth from this epidemic. So, who will ring the bell and take effective positive steps towards prohibiting smoking in public places.

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Second hand smoking, pets triggers asthma - Dr Terkait 

Asthma and diabetics consultant for children in Al-Sabah Hospital Dr Nada Al-Terkait advised asthma patients to avoid second hand smoking and pets such as dogs, birds, sheep and cats since they are regarded as triggers.

Speaking to KUNA on the sidelines of a seminar on the latest development in asthma treatment, Al-Terkait stressed on the importance of vaccination to all children [This graph only]

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• British American Tobacco major sponsors in the first Corporate Social Responsibility Conference in Kuwait 

British American Tobacco announced its sponsorship and participation in the first conference to be held in Kuwait on the social responsibilities of companies and corporations organized by the Multaqa Media Group in cooperation with TRACCS Public Relations Network between 4th and 5th of December 2004, supported by the United Nations Development Program. . . .

Projects in Kuwait and MENA Eric Jones pointed out that BAT has executed over the last few years a number of joint projects with a number of entities to confirm and deepen the concept of social responsibility. A prominent project carried out recently by the Company involved a program with the Kuwaiti Teachers' Association that included a huge campaign against juvenile smoking. The campaign was a great success and is expected to resume in the future.

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Of school students, 28.8 percent have tried smoking at least once -- study 

Nov 30 -- A local study has shown that of school students between the ages of 13 and 15, 28.8 percent have tried smoking at least once.

Member of the Ministry of Health's smoking combat committee Dr. Hamdia Al-Fadhli told KUNA that 37.6 percent of male school students and 17.6 percent of the females have tried smoking according to a study conducted by the committee's bureau of tobacco and health in cooperation with the World Health Organization (WHO).

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Anti-smoking campaign in Faiha 

An anti-smoking awareness campaign has held a series of seminars from June 27 to 30. The programme had the slogan "For a more pure life" and was organised by the Public Authority for Youth and Sports at the Faiha Youth Centre.

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Interior ministry bans smoking in all its buildings, offices   

First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of    Interior Sheikh Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah issued an order Tuesday    banning smoking in all buildings and administrative offices of the ministry.

A press release said that the ministerial order came in accordance with the    Cabinet of Ministers' decree and law number 15 for 1995 on combating smoking.

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Ministry to strictly implement 'No Smoking Law' 

In a bid to reactivate the Council of Ministers' decision on banning smoking, the Health Ministry will strictly implement the "No Smoking Law" from next month, Al-Qabas quoted a reliable source as saying. The source said Health Minister Dr Mohammad Al-Jarallah recently briefed the Council of Ministers on the procedures of the law and the penalties which will be imposed on employees, especially doctors and other employees of the medical sector, who violate the law.

"One month salary will be deducted from employees who are found smoking at medical clinics or hospital wards," he said

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Civil Aviation establishes smoking rooms at Kuwait Airport 

The Public Authority of Civil Aviation announced Tuesday that it will establish special rooms for smokers at Kuwait International Airport.

Deputy Director General for Airport Affairs Zuhair Al-Zamel told KUNA that the establishing of the rooms comes in preparation for the ban of smoking in the airport, noting that the procedure is based on a ministerial ruling issued on March 24th by the Ministry of Health regarding the ban of smoking in public facilities.

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Smokers face hotel room tobacco ban 

Smokers could soon find themselves barred from lighting up in most hotel bedrooms in the UK, according to a survey published here Thursday.

Almost seven-out-of-ten British hoteliers questioned said they expected to ban smoking throughout their premises within the next year. . . .

Campaigners in Britain are keeping a close watch on the Irish Republic which began a smoking ban in public places, including bars and restaurants, last month.

The survey, in the UK trade magazine "Caterer and Hotelkeeper", found 79 percent of hoteliers currently allowing smoking in designated areas.

This is expected to fall to 30 percent within a year.

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Dr Al-Saif .. Ministry of Health continuing anti-smoking campaign 

Ministry of Health Assistant Undersecretary for Public Health Affairs Dr Ali Al-Saif asserted that the ministry will continue its anti-smoking campaign, especially in the ministry's facilities.

In his opening speech of the 1st student convention on the effects of smoking, titled "Non-Smoking Schools", Al-Saif said that a number of procedures were set to carry out this campaign, among which is specifying the non-smoking places such as hospitals, health centers, schools, universities, in addition to the prohibition of selling cigarettes to those below the age of 21.

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'A Non-Smoking Mouth'; slogan of Al-Jahra health week  

The Chairman of Al-Jahra health week committee, Dr. Adel Al-Matouq, announced Tuesday that the slogan of the celebration will be "A Non-Smoking Mouth" to highlight the dangers of smoking on health and society. Dr. Al-Matouq told KUNA that the activities of Al-Jahra health week will be held under the patronage of Al-Jahra governor Sheikh Ali Al-Jaber Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah from March 22-28 at the Al-Jahra dentistry center. He added that this slogan has been selected according to the instructions of the health minister, Dr. Mohammed Al-Jarallah for a more healthy society through a program the ministry adopted to prevent chronic diseases which are the cause of 60 percent of deaths worldwide.

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